Please be careful driving at night!

mhtranger · 07-12-2012, 03:19 PM

Just a friendly reminder to everyone, last night driving home on RT 104 in Meredith I had a run in with a very large moose! Everyone in the car is ok but shaken up a little. I got some cuts from all the broken glass from the windshield and drivers side door. I can say the moose did not fear so well.

I would like to thank the many that stopped to see if we were ok and also the Meredith police and fire rescue. You guys are the best!!
Sorry to anyone that got stuck in traffic because of this accident but as the officer said at least it wasn't a Friday or Sunday night.

So again PLEASE keep an eye out for these animals that need to cross the road and most of all be a little patient with anyone driving the dark roads with high beams on. Being able to see a little further ahead might have prevented this for me.

Thanks for reading, David

SteveA · 07-12-2012, 03:34 PM

Wow... Scary

Very glad all of the folks in your car are OK. Great advice on the high beams and frankly way too many people drive way too fast at night.

I've only seen 1 moose in all my years of driving in NH, I sure don't want to see one in my headlights!

secondcurve · 07-12-2012, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveA

Wow... Scary

Very glad all of the folks in your car are OK. Great advice on the high beams and frankly way too many people drive way too fast at night.

I've only seen 1 moose in all my years of driving in NH, I sure don't want to see one in my headlights!

Steve:

The problem is you usually don't see the moose in your headlights since the body is above the beams balancing on spindly legs. After you take out the legs the body of the moose comes crashing down on your car. You can see what often happens from the pictures above. David, did you see the moose before you hit him? I am glad to hear you are okay.

Jonas Pilot · 07-12-2012, 05:58 PM

Probably no use buying any more lottery tickets.

NHKathy · 07-12-2012, 06:09 PM

Wow!!
Glad to hear everybody is OK. That must have been so scary...

mhtranger · 07-12-2012, 08:06 PM

Secondcurve, not until I hit him. All I remember seeing was his knees hit the hood and then hitting the windshield.

MAXUM · 07-12-2012, 09:31 PM

Glad to hear you're all OK, definately a scary thing to have happen for sure.

I'll tell ya those moose are really hard to see at night, thier fur is so dark it's hard to see them against a dark night backdrop. I had a close call out snowmobiling a few years back, had I not have my high beams going I never would have seen the pair that were out on a late night stroll down the trail.

Hope the moose didn't go to waste, they are great eating!

SIKSUKR · 07-13-2012, 07:43 AM

Many people have been killed hitting moose. As was the case here, because of the long legs the torso goes right to the windshield and quite often through it. I know somebody that had one end up in the drivers compartment and the legs were thrashing about injuring him. Glad your ok.

upthesaukee · 07-13-2012, 08:14 AM

When I was stationed at Eielson AFB AK, in our incoming safety briefing, one of the topics was driving at night and vehicle interactions with Moose. I am so glad you and your passengers are ok.

The instructor said he cannnot stress enough the need to use high beams whenever possible when driving at night, and for the same reasons stated here already. Moose are so tall that low beams only light up their legs. High beams will give a better look at the whole animal, and if he is looking at you may allow you to see his eyes. He also said to be aware of the reflectors along the side of the road appearing and then disappearing. Good chance that something blocked the reflectors.

The pictures are amazing and again thankful for no serious injuries.

NickNH · 07-13-2012, 09:36 AM

Glad all are ok! I had to drive from Gloucester, Mass very late last night and I was watching the sides of the road the whole way......I also kept my high beams on as much as possible (trying not to annoy the other drivers). I drive a Toyota Highlander so am a bit higher up than a regular car but still very vigilant!

chachee52 · 07-15-2012, 09:31 AM

Looks exactly how my car did back on July 4th 1999 when a moose came running out and hit me heading back from the Merideth fireworks. Was just past Ipellido's Furnichure.
Was amazed because I was in almost back to back traffic and it just ran out and hit me.

I'm glad to hear the same results of my accident..... no one hurt!!

KayakinKid · 07-15-2012, 11:06 AM

Glad to hear that everyone came out OK! Been there, done that, don't care to go on that ride again!

Mine was on I-93 South at exit 3 in Windham, going 60-65 mph, at about 10:45 p.m. on my way to work. All I saw was the lower half of the legs at the very last moment, and my last thought before impact was, "My, that's a mighty big deer!" Moose strikes at that time were rare in the far southern part of the state.

Besides having my face beaten up by the airbag and wearing some windshield and t-top glass, I came out relatively unscathed. The moose and the car? Not so well.

At the time, I had been thinking about buying a new car. However, that was not the way that I wanted my decision to be made about it! Be careful how you wish for something, it might appear in a very unexpected manner!

Belmont Resident · 07-15-2012, 01:56 PM

We have seen much more moose out on the roads this past winter through now. We have not seen this many in the last 6-8 years.
This summer alone we have had 3-4 really close calls with moose, most at night but one about mid morning.
Heading north for the 4th towing a trailer I had the closest call ever. Funny thing is I had just said to my wife I need to crank up on the electric brake controller. Thankfully I did because the trailer braked harder then the truck did and we missed the moose by just a few feet. Jack Russell’s were flying everywhere inside the truck.
I run two 100watt aircraft lights which give me about ¼ mile visibility down the road at night. Many of the logging truckers also run these lights up in North Country.
Glad everyone was ok; many times the outcome is not so good when moose are involved.

upthesaukee · 07-16-2012, 07:58 AM

Many pickups and almost all commercial vehicles had landing lights hooked into the high beam switch (remember that thingee sticking up out of the floor to the left of the clutch pedal). Click on the high beams, and you went from night to day, at least in front of you for several hundred yards.

07-12-2012, 03:19 PM	#1
mhtranger Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 127 Thanks: 310 Thanked 68 Times in 39 Posts	Please be careful driving at night! Just a friendly reminder to everyone, last night driving home on RT 104 in Meredith I had a run in with a very large moose! Everyone in the car is ok but shaken up a little. I got some cuts from all the broken glass from the windshield and drivers side door. I can say the moose did not fear so well. I would like to thank the many that stopped to see if we were ok and also the Meredith police and fire rescue. You guys are the best!! Sorry to anyone that got stuck in traffic because of this accident but as the officer said at least it wasn't a Friday or Sunday night. So again PLEASE keep an eye out for these animals that need to cross the road and most of all be a little patient with anyone driving the dark roads with high beams on. Being able to see a little further ahead might have prevented this for me. Thanks for reading, David Attached Images

07-12-2012, 03:34 PM	#2
SteveA Deceased Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Gilford, NH Posts: 2,311 Thanks: 1,070 Thanked 2,054 Times in 497 Posts	Wow... Scary Very glad all of the folks in your car are OK. Great advice on the high beams and frankly way too many people drive way too fast at night. I've only seen 1 moose in all my years of driving in NH, I sure don't want to see one in my headlights! __________________ "Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in his shoes. That way, if he gets angry he'll be a mile away and barefoot!" unknown

07-12-2012, 06:09 PM	#5
NHKathy Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Moultonborough when I can / RI Posts: 699 Thanks: 180 Thanked 38 Times in 22 Posts	Omg! Wow!! Glad to hear everybody is OK. That must have been so scary...

07-13-2012, 07:43 AM	#8
SIKSUKR Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 5,075 Thanks: 215 Thanked 903 Times in 509 Posts	Many people have been killed hitting moose. As was the case here, because of the long legs the torso goes right to the windshield and quite often through it. I know somebody that had one end up in the drivers compartment and the legs were thrashing about injuring him. Glad your ok. __________________ SIKSUKR

07-13-2012, 08:14 AM	#9
upthesaukee Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Alton Bay Posts: 5,547 Blog Entries: 2 Thanks: 2,398 Thanked 1,918 Times in 1,061 Posts	High Beams on.. When I was stationed at Eielson AFB AK, in our incoming safety briefing, one of the topics was driving at night and vehicle interactions with Moose. I am so glad you and your passengers are ok. The instructor said he cannnot stress enough the need to use high beams whenever possible when driving at night, and for the same reasons stated here already. Moose are so tall that low beams only light up their legs. High beams will give a better look at the whole animal, and if he is looking at you may allow you to see his eyes. He also said to be aware of the reflectors along the side of the road appearing and then disappearing. Good chance that something blocked the reflectors. The pictures are amazing and again thankful for no serious injuries. __________________ I Live Here... I am always UPTHESAUKEE !!!!

07-12-2012, 05:58 PM	#4
Jonas Pilot Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Wolfeboro, New Hampshire is my home, 24-7-365 Posts: 1,686 Thanks: 1,047 Thanked 336 Times in 189 Posts	Probably no use buying any more lottery tickets.

07-12-2012, 08:06 PM	#6
mhtranger Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 127 Thanks: 310 Thanked 68 Times in 39 Posts	Secondcurve, not until I hit him. All I remember seeing was his knees hit the hood and then hitting the windshield.

07-12-2012, 09:31 PM	#7
MAXUM Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Kuna ID Posts: 2,755 Thanks: 246 Thanked 1,942 Times in 802 Posts	Glad to hear you're all OK, definately a scary thing to have happen for sure. I'll tell ya those moose are really hard to see at night, thier fur is so dark it's hard to see them against a dark night backdrop. I had a close call out snowmobiling a few years back, had I not have my high beams going I never would have seen the pair that were out on a late night stroll down the trail. Hope the moose didn't go to waste, they are great eating!

07-13-2012, 09:36 AM	#10
NickNH Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 85 Thanks: 103 Thanked 14 Times in 11 Posts	Glad all are ok! I had to drive from Gloucester, Mass very late last night and I was watching the sides of the road the whole way......I also kept my high beams on as much as possible (trying not to annoy the other drivers). I drive a Toyota Highlander so am a bit higher up than a regular car but still very vigilant!

07-15-2012, 09:31 AM	#11
chachee52 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Gilford, NH Posts: 387 Thanks: 6 Thanked 79 Times in 62 Posts	Looks exactly how my car did back on July 4th 1999 when a moose came running out and hit me heading back from the Merideth fireworks. Was just past Ipellido's Furnichure. Was amazed because I was in almost back to back traffic and it just ran out and hit me. I'm glad to hear the same results of my accident..... no one hurt!!

07-15-2012, 11:06 AM	#12
KayakinKid Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 26 Thanks: 1 Thanked 23 Times in 6 Posts	Glad to hear that everyone came out OK! Been there, done that, don't care to go on that ride again! Mine was on I-93 South at exit 3 in Windham, going 60-65 mph, at about 10:45 p.m. on my way to work. All I saw was the lower half of the legs at the very last moment, and my last thought before impact was, "My, that's a mighty big deer!" Moose strikes at that time were rare in the far southern part of the state. Besides having my face beaten up by the airbag and wearing some windshield and t-top glass, I came out relatively unscathed. The moose and the car? Not so well. At the time, I had been thinking about buying a new car. However, that was not the way that I wanted my decision to be made about it! Be careful how you wish for something, it might appear in a very unexpected manner!

07-15-2012, 01:56 PM	#13
Belmont Resident Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Belmont NH but prefer Jackman Maine Posts: 1,857 Thanks: 491 Thanked 409 Times in 251 Posts	More mosee out then in past years. We have seen much more moose out on the roads this past winter through now. We have not seen this many in the last 6-8 years. This summer alone we have had 3-4 really close calls with moose, most at night but one about mid morning. Heading north for the 4th towing a trailer I had the closest call ever. Funny thing is I had just said to my wife I need to crank up on the electric brake controller. Thankfully I did because the trailer braked harder then the truck did and we missed the moose by just a few feet. Jack Russell’s were flying everywhere inside the truck. I run two 100watt aircraft lights which give me about ¼ mile visibility down the road at night. Many of the logging truckers also run these lights up in North Country. Glad everyone was ok; many times the outcome is not so good when moose are involved. __________________ "better to have a short life that is full of what you like doing, then a long life spent in a miserable way.."

07-16-2012, 07:58 AM	#14
upthesaukee Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Alton Bay Posts: 5,547 Blog Entries: 2 Thanks: 2,398 Thanked 1,918 Times in 1,061 Posts	Alaska comparison again: Many pickups and almost all commercial vehicles had landing lights hooked into the high beam switch (remember that thingee sticking up out of the floor to the left of the clutch pedal). Click on the high beams, and you went from night to day, at least in front of you for several hundred yards. __________________ I Live Here... I am always UPTHESAUKEE !!!!